Liguori Catholic Bible Study - Introduction and The Gospel of Mark (Liguori Publications)

With the start of a new year, people make lots of resolutions. Some they end up keeping. Others not so much. One popular resolution among Catholics and other Christians is to read through the Bible in one year. If you have never done this before, I will testify as a survivor that it is doable. I use the word survivor, because it feels like a war of attrition. You have to average approximately 4-5 chapters a day, and books like Leviticus or Numbers can really weigh you down and make you question your decision. I do believe that everyone should read through the Bible once in their life (albeit not in the span of a year), and I believe the best way to do that is slowly. This year I am using the commentary series Liguori Catholic Bible Study. It isn't new (been around since 2012), but it is new to me! Today, I will be featuring two of the books from this series.

Introduction to the Bible is a 100 page book which not only serves as a guide to the Bible but is also an excellent jumping off point for the Liguori Catholic Bible Study. Before diving into the meat of the book, there is an introduction to the Bible study series and Lectio Divina. Fr. Anderson then begins by describing what the Bible is. A lot of people mistake it for one book, but it is in fact a whole library of books bound together. There are history books, prophetic books, wisdom books, etc. He then explains coventantal theology, talks about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and addresses different translations of the Bible. He seems to encourage use of the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), which I agree with, because that is what we hear at Mass every Sunday.

Chapters Two and Three walk us through the books of the Old Testament, providing summaries, key figures, key events, and/or historical context. The remaining chapters focus on the New Testament, but in a different way than the Old Testament was focused on. First, we see a chapter dedicated to what life was like in Palestine during the time of Jesus, which included politics, religious groups, and religious feasts. Next, we see a chapter that explains what life was like after Jesus' death and when the books of the New Testament were written. This chapter, like the previous one, again touches on the political rule of the time, but it also talks about the different sources the writers used when composing their New Testament book(s). The last chapter talks about the message from Jesus and the New Testament and how the ways we receive the message, study the message, and interpret the message have changed.

Overall, this was a very brief, but thorough introduction to the Bible. It was simple enough that anyone could understand it, but it waded into the deep end occasionally to keep the more advanced reader interested enough to continue reading. I appreciated that every chapter had review and reflection questions. These types of questions are vital for small group leaders, especially those lacking experience in leading a Bible study. The only thing that I wish would have been different is the end of the book. It felt like a very abrupt ending. I would have preferred a couple of closing pages that point you in a direction on what to do next. Perhaps, the author could have said something like, if you're completely new to reading the Bible, start with The Gospel of Mark, or if you have studied the Synoptic Gospels before try The Gospel of John. That gripe aside, I still recommend this book as you need some background before embarking on Bible study.

The Gospel of Mark is the first commentary from the Liguori Catholic Bible Study that I decided to study. It is approximately 150 pages, like most of the commentaries in this series and also includes an introduction to Lectio Divina and a how-to guide for both individuals and group study. There are eight lessons total with all of the lessons containing sections for group study and individual study, with the exception of Lesson One, which only has a section for group study.

Both group and individual study have ample review questions and opportunities for Lectio Divina with the individual study dividing the readings up into days of the week between group studies. The thing that surprised me most was that the individual sections didn't invite you to study Scripture passages from the group sections more deeply but instead focus on  passages that were not covered. It took a bit of getting used to, but I defer to the wisdom of those more experienced than me when leading Bible studies. The other surprising element was that the Scripture was not provided in the book. You have to have your own Bible. This is a pro (the book is smaller) and con (less convenient having to remember two books).

The aspect I enjoyed most about this book is that in addition to providing commentary on the passage you just read, there is also a guided reflection to ponder for Lectio Divina. I don't know about you, but my biggest stumbling block with Lectio Divina is that I never really know what I'm supposed to focus on when reading a Scripture passage and can oftentimes miss the forest for the trees. I have not completely worked my way through this book, as I am trying to go through it slowly, but I felt the need to share my positive experience with this book. It is very practical and provides you with an insight into how it was during Jesus' day and what message we can take from it presently. I look forward to continuing with this book as well as others in the series, so stay tuned as I plan to feature another one in the coming months.

These books were provided to me by Liguori Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found them helpful, please click here and/or here and hit Yes!

Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life (Our Sunday Visitor)

Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life is the third commentary in the Opening the Scriptures series. George Martin's other two in this series include one on Mark and another on Luke. Alas, I do not believe there is a volume on John's Gospel. The book is laid out in a format where it gives a Scripture passage first to read. Then, it breaks up the passage into individual verses with a commentary for each verse. In addition to commentary, there are hundreds of questions for personal or group reflection, which are designed to make you think and grow in your understanding of Scripture. The sections that provide background information on the world Jesus lived in or the audience to which Matthew wrote his Gospel are invaluable if you are looking to dive deeper into the Gospel.

It would be impossible for me to touch on every passage in this book, so I am going to focus on the first chapter of Matthew, which details the genealogy of Jesus. A lot of commentators will make mention of a couple of big names in this genealogy, i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but gloss over the genealogy as a whole. Mr. Martin, however, walks us through person by person, pointing out significant figures and also anomalies in the genealogy. The main anomalies are the women, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. The first two women were not women of great moral fiber, yet they are part of Jesus' genealogy, and it shows us that God can bring about salvation through imperfect people.

The depth Mr. Martin dives in these books is astounding. I led a Bible Study on Luke last year, and, used his volume on Luke as my primary source. It was an immense help, and made me feel wiser and able to answer questions with certainty. The beauty of there being three volumes in this series is that each one corresponds with a specific Year in the Church (A = Matthew, B = Mark, C = Luke). Since next year is Year B, I would recommend purchasing the volume on Mark first. However, whichever one you choose to purchase first, you will not be disappointed and will want to own all three eventually. Five Stars!

This book was provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Face to Face with Jesus and God is With Me Always and Everywhere (Pauline Books)

Face to Face with Jesus is a short book, which contains spiritual reflections that Archbishop Forte gave before a large audience during Lent 2012. In this "exercises for everyone," he reflects on Jesus' life as presented in the Gospel of Mark. He chose the Gospel of Mark because it is the oldest Gospel; the shortest Gospel; and because the Gospel is a life journey, a progressive journey, and a paschal journey. In this work, Archbishop Forte wants to address what evil in our lives we must rid ourselves of, what choices we must make to fully give our lives to Jesus, and what practices must we put into our lives to be a source of light and love for others.

The first chapter of the book details Jesus' baptism, His temptation in the desert, and the day he spent in Capernaum. In these three passages, we can see Jesus as the Son of God and one who must be sacrificed for us. We see the ongoing struggle between Satan and God. And we see Jesus preaching, teaching, and healing. In the second chapter, we see the prophecies of Jesus' Passion, the Garden of Gethsemane, and His Crucifixion. It is in these passages where we see Jesus freely accept His Passion and death. We also see that by Jesus dying, He has granted us life eternal. The third and final chapter addresses the empty tomb and the mission of His followers post-Resurrection. Like Jesus' disciples then, we must freely accept the new life He offers us and share that message with everyone.

Though this book is only 70ish pages, it packs quite a punch. Archbishop Forte did a masterful job extracting the message of Mark and making it available and understandable to all. While, I believe this book would best be read during Lent, you could read it at anytime. This book is "a manual for Christian living." In it you will find freedom from self; to purify your heart from world attachments; and to not fear death. I would like to close with a quote. "To live is to learn how to die; those who live for love, shall die in the love of the living and holy God."

God is With Me Always and Everywhere is a little hardcover children's book that teaches your children about God's presence. It is from the same author who brought you The Queen and the Cross and The Saint who Fought the Dragon. The book starts with Baptism, where a baby first becomes the child of God and then follows children in everyday situations, including school and interactions with siblings. It also teaches children the importance of the Virgin Mary and angels, particularly their guardian angel, in recognizing God's presence.

Your children will learn about God's unending and unfailing love for them. Even when children make mistakes, and they will, they will be assured that God still loves them, wants to forgive them, and will be with them always (if they let Him be). I appreciated the poetic way the words rhymed and flowed on the pages to make for easier reading. I also really like that this book is multi-ethnic, making it so that children of all races can relate to the pictures in the book. If you are looking for a book that emphasizes to your children the importance of forming and keeping a relationship with God, then look no further than God is With Me Always and Everywhere.

These books were provided to me for free by Pauline Books and Media. If you found these reviews helpful, click here and/or here, and hit Yes!